The Political Development of the South Caucasus Countries at the current stage

Abstract

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the countries of the South Caucasus faced a complex transformation of political processes. The process of state building in these countries took place against the backdrop of painful armed conflicts, socio-economic problems, and total poverty. Despite the fact that the movement towards democratic principles, as well as the development of a market economy, became a priority for regional states, nevertheless, crises in various spheres of public life, security issues, and the lack of experience in statehood led to the development of authoritarian tendencies in all three South Caucasian states. This article is devoted to the study of political processes in the countries of the South Caucasus at the present stage. Special attention is paid to the internal political struggle in Georgia, which has intensified over the past decade. The socio-political processes in Armenia leading to the development of an internal political crisis are analyzed. The author concludes that in Azerbaijan there is virtually no rivalry between individual political forces, since all powers are concentrated in the hands of the president, who year after year deepens his authoritarian control over the country.